Agent Tools

Settlement Countdown

Enter a settlement date to see the complete milestone timeline — from contract exchange to key handover.

Deal details

ON TRACK

184

days to settlement

Milestone timeline

Contract exchange

Done

19 July 2026 · Contracts signed and exchanged by both parties

2

Cooling-off period ends

5d

24 July 2026 · 5-business-day cooling-off period expires

3

Building & pest inspection

14d

2 Aug 2026 · Complete all building and pest inspections

4

Finance approval due

21d

9 Aug 2026 · Buyer's formal finance approval typically required by this date

5

Agent follow-up: 90 days out

94d

21 Oct 2026 · Check in with buyer — confirm finance and timeline

6

Pre-settlement inspection

177d

12 Jan 2027 · Buyer's right to inspect property before settlement

7

Settlement funds confirmation

181d

16 Jan 2027 · Confirm all funds are ready with solicitor

8

Settlement

184d

19 Jan 2027 · Title transfers, keys handed over

How this calculator works

Enter the contract exchange date and the agreed settlement date and the calculator builds a milestone timeline backward and forward from today. Milestones include the cooling-off period end, finance approval deadline, building & pest inspection window, pre-settlement inspection, and settlement funds confirmation — the key checkpoints agents need to manage on behalf of their buyers.

Milestones shown as "Done" have already passed relative to today's date. Upcoming milestones are colour-coded by urgency: red (within 7 days), amber (within 30 days), and grey (on track). The urgency badge at the top reflects the overall time remaining to settlement.

Worked example

Scenario: Off-the-plan apartment — contract exchanged 1 July 2025, settlement 31 December 2025 (NSW, 5-day cooling-off)

Cooling-off expires8 Jul 2025
Building & pest inspection15 Jul 2025
Finance approval due22 Jul 2025
90-day agent follow-up2 Oct 2025
Pre-settlement inspection24 Dec 2025
Settlement funds confirmation28 Dec 2025
Settlement31 Dec 2025

Cooling-off periods by state

  • NSW: 5 business days (waivable by certificate)
  • VIC: 3 business days
  • QLD: 5 business days
  • SA: 2 business days
  • WA: No statutory cooling-off for residential property (voluntary only)
  • ACT: 5 business days
  • Auctions: No cooling-off period applies in any state when a property is purchased at auction.

Frequently asked questions

What happens at the 90-day mark?

The 90-day check-in is the ideal time for the agent to contact the buyer, confirm finance is still in place, and flag any upcoming deadlines. Buyers who exchange early on off-the-plan properties often need reminders as months pass between contract and settlement.

Can the buyer back out after the cooling-off period?

Once the cooling-off period has expired, the buyer is legally bound to proceed. Withdrawing after this point typically means forfeiting the deposit (usually 10% of the purchase price) and potential further liability to the vendor.

What is the pre-settlement inspection?

Buyers have a legal right to inspect the property in the days before settlement to confirm it is in the same condition as at exchange. For off-the-plan, this is also when they confirm the completed building matches the contract specifications.

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